Next Thursday, the California Supreme Court will hear arguments in our legal challenge to Proposition 8. As we seek to overturn Prop 8, we have the broadest array of support ever seen on an LGBT issue before any California Court. This support speaks directly to the relationships and coalition work that many in the LGBT, religious, business, and civil rights communities have been doing for years. However, there is another truth motivating the breadth of voices calling on the court to invalidate Prop 8. Prop 8 is an assault on the California Constitution and the most fundamental principal of any functioning democracy: all people will be treated equally under the law.

As a white lesbian leading a national LGBT legal organization and a straight, African-American Christian leading a national civil rights legal organization, we stand side-by-side in common cause. Racism and homophobia undermine and diminish any dream of a just and fair nation. If allowed to stand, Prop 8 would eviscerate equal protection of the law and leave every minority in California vulnerable to majority sentiment and whim. Today it may be same-sex couples and that is unacceptable under any circumstance, but tomorrow any unpopular minority could be next.

In this fight for justice we are sisters, and we ask that every fair-minded Californian join our family in standing against Prop 8. We ask you to join us and engage in conversations about the harms Prop 8 poses to all Californians. Please, talk to your friends and family, attend rallies and marches, post and comment on blogs, and write letters to the editor. Please visit our GET INVOLVED section of our website for tips on how to have these important conversations.

As you talk about the harms of Prop 8, please remember to acknowledge the essential role of the Court in protecting minority rights and remind your audience of the threat that Prop 8 poses to freedom and equality for all Californians. If a bare majority of voters can change our state Constitution to take away rights from a historically targeted minority group, what is the point of having a California Constitution?

Our nation is on a new path. A path that makes us all feel a renewed sense of shared values, hope, and humanity. Prop 8 demeans us all and stains our collective vision of a new day. Such a law should not be permitted to stand.

You may have heard the great news recently that the NAACP came out in support of the California legislature’s resolution against Prop 8. NAACP national board chair Julian Bond and President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous urged passage of House Resolution 5 and Senate Resolution 7, resolutions calling for the invalidation of Prop 8.

The NAACP has been a long-time supporter of full equality for all citizens, and their stance on marriage equality is just further evidence of their deep and abiding commitment to equal rights. Their leadership throughout the fight for marriage equality has been invaluable. Having such a visible and powerful ally has transformed the conversation about marriage equality, not just in California, but across the nation. We are deeply indebted to the NAACP for their vocal support, which is why we need you to speak up and show your support ASAP. The resolutions are expected to be voted on by March 2nd.

Court to hear oral arguments challenging validity of ban
If the state Supreme Court upholds Proposition 8, the ruling will constitute a giant step back for civil rights for all minority groups, advocates for marriage equality told The Desert Sun editorial board Tuesday.

(Sacramento, CA)–A state Senate committee has sided with opponents of Proposition 8 in the court battle over gay marriage. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 3-2 Tuesday to approve a resolution that says the proposition’s ban on same-sex marriages was a constitutional revision. As such, it would have needed approval from the Legislature to reach last November’s ballot.